Foam nozzle attachment for spray guns



Der: 4, 1951 F. c. LUNDBERG 2,577,025

FOAM NOZZLE ATTACHMENT FOR SPRAY GUNS Filed June 50, 1948 wuss fi arz%'(74217262 5679 (@5 Patented Dec. 4, 1951 FOAM NOZZLE ATTACHMENT FORSPRAY GUNS Frank C. Lundberg, Chicago, Ill., assignor to IllinoisStamping & Mfg. 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication June 30, 1948, Serial No. 36,220

4 Claims. Cl. 299-89) This invention relates to a foam spray gun forspraying cleaning compound, in a foamy condition upon articles which areto be cleaned. The invention relates more particularly to the sprayernozzle for the gun. Another embodiment of my invention is disclosed andclaimed in my copendirgg lapplication Serial No. 768,994, filed August16,

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a sprayer nozzle thatmost effectively breaks down the cleaning compound into a light foam orfroth which when discharged by air under pressure, discharges in theform of a spray.

Sometimes lint or other light particles are blown into the sprayernozzle, which makes it necessary to take the nozzle apart for thepurpose of cleaning it, and one of the objects of this invention is toprovide a sprayer nozzle which may be readily taken apart byinexperienced persons, cleaned and reassembled for use.

Another object is to provide'a number of spaced foraminated foam formingdiscs in the sprayer nozzle of which the one next adjacent the inlet tothe nozzle is provided with a centrally disposed hole or aperturethrough which the cleaning fluid is blown by compressed air upon thenext adjacent foraminated disc, whereby part of the cleaning fluid isrecirculated.

Another object is to provide the sprayer nozzle with a detachableconnector head secured to the shell of the nozzle by a friction fit, theconnector head being provided with a nipple through which the cleaningfiuid and compressed air is blown into the nozzle.

Another object is to provide a sprayer nozzle composed of a few partsand easily assembled.

Another object is to provide a sprayer nozzle that is highly eflicient,durable, simple and comparatively inexpensive.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this inventionconsists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth andmore particularly defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying thisspecification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section taken through a foam spray gunembodying a. simple form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a certain foam forming disc used in thenozzle;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly broken out of the nozzle, illustratinga handle for facilitating the work of disconnecting the nozzle shellfrom the connector head;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of handle, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmental view part in side elevation and partly in sectionof a modified form of the invention.

The views are upon an enlarged scale.

The present invention is in nature of an improvement upon the foam spraygun disclosed in my application for patent Serial No. 768,994 fileAugust 16, 1947.

Referring to said drawing, the reference character 4 designates thespray gun as a whole; it is here shown in the form of a cylinder 5 openat one end, its other end preferably being domeshaped as shown at 6 andformed with a central opening I. The open end of the cylinder isarranged to be attached to a flexible tubular connection 8 whichmay'lead from the discharge side of a vacuum carpet cleaner or from anyother suitable blower or fan (not shown) to provide the compressed airfor the gun.

A reservoir 9 for the cleaning compound is removably secured to thecylinder 5 as by a cap l0 rigidly secured to the cylinder as bysoldering-it thereto or otherwise. The reservoir and cap are shown asformed with complemental screw threads -ll, l2, whereby the reservoirmay be readily attached to the cap or detached therefrom. A gasket 9a isinterposed between the cap Ill and edge of the reservoir to provide aleak proof joint between the cap and reservoir.

Leading up from a point adjacent the bottom of the reservoir is adischarge tube l3 which extends through the walls of the can andcylinder and is secured to the cap as by soldering it thereto. The upperend of the discharge tube is bent at right angles to itself as at M tolie in coaxial alignment with the opening 1 in the cylinder 5 with itsdischarge end terminating at a point adjacent the dome end of thecylinder. A valve l5 controls the inlet to the discharge tube and saidvalve is connected to a stem It by a goose neck H. The stem extends intothe interior of the cylinder, through-holes in the cap and cylinder andis formed with a threaded reduced end l8 upon which is secured a pushbutton 19. The push button extends out through the upper part of thewall of-the cylinder and a coiled spring 29 interposed between the pushbutton and lower part of the wall of the cylinder functions to yieldablyhold the valve [5 closed. A pilot pin 2| projects from the valve intothe discharge tube. Registering holes 22 in the cap and wall of thecylinder admit air to the reservoir under pressure from the cylinder 5.

The sprayer nozzle, indicated generally by the reference character 23,comprises an open ended cylindrical shell 24 terminating at one end in aportion that flares outwardly Slightly as at 24a to receive a connectorhead 25, the annular wall 26 of which converges slightly on the sameangle as the outwardly flaring end 24a of the shell whereby theconnector head and shell may be detachably secured together with afriction fit. I have found that an angle of 2- between the flaring endand the axis of the nozzle shell provides an eflicient friction fit. Theconnector head comprises a cup like member 21 and disc 28, the edgeportion of which engages the edge of the wall 26 of the cup like member21.

The connector head carries a nipple 29 formed with a reduced part 30which extends through holes in the cup like membe 21 and disc 28, andits extreme inner end is flared or spread outwardly as at 3! whereby toclamp the connector head to the nipple. The nipple may be staked on thecup like member as at 43.

The sprayer nozzle may be removably secured to the sprayer head by aclip as in my above identified application if desired, but I prefer tosecure the sprayer nozzle to the end wall of the sprayer head by thenipple 29 which is formed with a tapered outer portion 32 that may beinserted into the tapered hole I in the end wall of the sprayer head andsecured therein by a friction fit, whereby the sprayer nozzle, asa wholemay be disconnected from the sprayer head.

The discharge end M of the discharge tube #3 enters the bore 31 of thenipple, leaving an annular passage 40 between the wall of the bore andthe end M of the discharge tube l3, through which compressed air mayflow from the sprayer head to the sprayer nozzle.

At its discharge end, the shell is formed with an inturned annularflange 24 and in the shell between the flange 24 and disc 28 are severalspaced foraminated foam forming discs 34', 34a which may be constructedof wire mesh or very light gauge sheet-metal formed with a multiplicityof perforations of very small diameter. The discs 34, may be spacedapart in any suitable manner, but in the form illustrated each disc isformedwith an annular flange 35 which engages the next adjacent disc.The flange of the disc 34a next adjacent to the disc 28 engages saiddisc 28. The edge portion of the outermost disc 34 bears against theinturned flange 24 of the shell and all of said foraminated discs areheld in place by the flange 24a and disc 23.

The disc 34a next adjacent the connector head has a centrally locatedhole 36 therein axially disposed with respect to the bore 3! in thenipple 29 so that the stream of cleaning fluid and compressed air passdirectly through the holeor aperture 36 and strike the next adjacentforaminated disc 34, over which the cleaning fluid and compressed airare spread, some of the cleaning fluid passing through the perforationstherein and some rebounding back against the disc 34a and; through theperforations therein intothe space between the disc 34a and the disc 28from which it is again blown through the hole 36 and through the nextadjacent disc and through the other discs in the shell.

In use the reservoir is filled with a suitable liquid cleaning compoundand air under pressure is admitted to the cylinder and reservoir anddischarges through the sprayer nozzle. By depressing the push button l9the valve I51 is unseated, permitting the air under pressure in thereservoir to discharge the cleaning compound from the end 14 of thedischarge tube t3.

The

compressed air in the sprayer head flows through the passage t0 andblows the cleaning compound into the sprayer nozzle where it passesthrough the hole in the first disc, is spread over the surface of thesecond disc, some of the air and cleaning compound passing through theperforations of the second disc and some being recirculated through thefirst disc and the space between the disc 34a and the disc 28 of theconnector head. The air and cleaning compound encounter the severalforaminated discs and the cleaning compound is blown through theperforations thereof, being thereby agitated and broken down into afoamy condition. This is augmented by the air underpressure flowingthrough the nozzle. The

discharging air reduces the foam to a spray as it is being dischargedfrom the nozzle to the article to be cleaned. Thereafter the article iswiped off as is customary.

Any suitable liquid cleaning compound which can. be broken down into afoamy condition may be used. The compound may comprise a soapy solutionor may be composed of chemicals such as are used in the foam method ofcleaning. A spray gun equipped with the above described sprayer nozzlemay be used to spray a cleaning compound foam upon upholstery, carpets,rugs and many other articles.

Incase it becomes necessary to clean the sprayer nozzle, it may bedetached from the sprayer head by merely pulling it therefrom, and theconnector head may be detached from the shell by rocking the tworelative to each other. Means are provided to facilitate disconnectingthe shell from the connector head in case it is difficult to disconnectthem. As shown in Fig. 3, a handle is provided in the form of a rod ll,of a, diameter to be freely inserted into the bore 3'! of the nipple 29.When so inserted the handle is. grasped by one hand, the shell by theother hand and the shell and connector head rocked with respect to eachother, thus breaking the grip between them.

If desired the rod 44 may be threaded at one end as at 42 (see Fig. 4)and the wall of the bore of the nipple 29a may-be threaded for thereception of the threaded end of the rod. With this construction, theuser may not only rock the shell and connector head relative to eachother, but he may exert considerable pull on the rod to detach theconnector head from the shell.

In the modified form of spray nozzle shown in Fig. 5, the connector head25a is also removably secured in the nozzle shell 24. In this form ofnozzle the skirt 26a of the connector head is screw threaded and theoutwardly offset end part 2412 of; the nozzle shell is screw threaded toreceive the threaded skirt 25a. A centrally apertnred end wall 21aextends inward from the Skirt and a nipple 29a has, a, reduced end 3%which extends through the aperture in the wall 2 7a, which wall isstaked to the nipple. The nipple has a, shoulder which bears against theouter-face of the wall 21a; and from said shoulder said nipple extendsin an, outward direction and is tapered as at 32a whereby it may besecured in the hole in the end wall: of the spray head as in; thePreferred form of the invention. The threads on the skirt. and on theshell may be rolled thereon. The connector head is knurled as at 321) tofacilitate screwing it upon the nozzle shell and unscrewing therefrom. Aperforated pliable disc 28a is interposed between the edge of the skirtand an annular shoulder 240 on the nozzle shell. In other respects, the.modified form of spray nozzle is constructed substantially as in theother form illustrated in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a detachable, foam producing nozzleattachment for spray guns having an air outlet opening and a tubularfluid outlet axially aligned with said opening, a shell open at bothends, a plurality of spaced foraminous discs positioned in said shelland extending transversely with respect to the axis of the latter, ahollow connector head removably mounted in one end of the shell, ahollow nipple provided intermediate its ends with a shoulder, one end ofsaid nipple extending through said head with said shoulder seated on theouter face of the latter, the free end of said nipple at the inner faceof said head being outwardly deformed to rigidly secure the nipple tosaid head, the opposite end portion of the nipple being externallytapered and of a size to be inserted into the air outlet opening of aspray gun and frictionally engage the latter, with the bore of saidnipple being of a size to encircle the tubular fluid outlet of such aspray gun.

2. As an article of manufacture, a detachable, foam producing nozzleattachment for spray guns adapted to spray a stream of fluid and airunder pressure and having an air outlet opening, a shell open at bothends, a plurality of spaced foraminous discs positioned in said shelland extending transversely with respect to the axis of the latter, ahollow connector head mounted in one end of the shell, a hollow nippleextending through and rigidly secured to said head, the opposite endportlon of the nipple being constructed for engagement with a spray gunat the air outlet opening thereof, the foraminous disc adjacent saidnipple having a relatively large opening therein axially aligned withsaid nipple whereby the fluid and air sprayed discharges through saidopening and impinges the contiguous foraminous disc over which the fluidand air are spread, and a portion of the fluid rebounds from said discand returns through perforations in said foraminous disc adjacent saidnipple to be redischarged through said large opening.

3. As an article of manufacture, a detachable, foam producing nozzleattachment for spray guns having an air outlet opening and a tubularfluid outlet axially aligned with said opening, a shell open at bothends, a plurality of spaced foraminous discs positioned in said shelland extending transversely with respect to the axis of the latter, aconnector head comprising a cup-like member, the peripheral face ofwhich is removably engageable with said shell at one end of the latter,a hollow nipple provided intermediate its ends with a shoulder, one endof said nipple extending through said cup-like member, with saidshoulder seated on the adjacent outer face of the latter, a discpositioned in said shell engaging the annular edge of the cup-likemember and having an opening therein through which the inner end of saidnipple extends, the latter end of said nipple being outwardly deformedto rigidly secure the cup-like member and last-mentioned disc together,the opposite end portion of the nipple being externally tapered and of asize to be inserted into the air outlet opening of a spray gun andfrictionally engage the latter, with the bore of said nipple being of asize to encircle the tubular fluid outlet of such a spray gun.

4. As an article of manufacture, a detachable, foam producing nozzleattachment for spray guns having an air outlet opening and a tubularfluid outlet axially aligned with said opening, a shell open at bothends, a plurality of spaced foraminous discs positioned in said shelland extending transversely with respect to the axis of the latter, saiddiscs each having peripheral flanges therein forming spacing meansbetween adjacent discs, a connector head comprising a cup-like member,the peripheral face of which is removably engageable with said shell atone end of the latter, a hollow nipple provided intermediate its endswith a shoulder, one end of said nipple extending through said cup-likemember, with said shoulder seated on the adjacent outer face of thelatter, a disc positioned in said shell engaging the annular edge of thecup-like member and having an opening therein through which the innerend of said nipple extends, the latter end of said nipple beingoutwardly flared to rigidly secure the cuplike member and last-mentioneddisc together, the foraminous disc adjacent said nipple having arelatively large opening therein axially aligned with said nipple, theopposite end portion of the latter being externally tapered and of asize to be inserted into the air outlet opening of a spray gun andfrictionally engage the latter, with the bore of said nipple being of asize to encircle the tubular fluid outlet of such a spray gun.

FRANK C. LUNDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,008,828 Keith Nov. 14, 19111,457,895 Campanella June 5, 1923 1,787,998 Schylander Jan. 6, 19312,078,171 Wittie Apr. 20, 1937 2,090,727 Gosmann Aug. 24, 1937 2,119,906Dorman June 7, 1938 2,138,133 Betzler Nov. 29, 1938 2,316,781 Fox Apr.20, 1943 2,340,205 Pinkerton Jan. 25, 1944

